Checkers
by LavenderBoots
Summary: An outtake from my fic, Not Such a Dream Afterall. A Game of Cat and Mouse; Haku catches Chihiro hiding in his room and offers her an ultimatum, she just has to play a little game.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: all rights and responsibilities belong to Hayao Miyazaki; I disown them all (very very sadly)**

**Author's Note:**

This is an outtake from my story, _Not Such a Dream Afterall_.** If you are reading that fic, do not read this until you have read through Chapter 13**. This was my original version for that chapter, and as much as I loved it, it doesn't stay true to Haku's character; he's not really playful, or sadistic. I didn't write beyond this only because I decided it didn't fit my story.

As always thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you.

Take care, and I hope you like this outtake,

Boots

_(p.s. I included some excerpts from previous chapters just to get you in the right feeling.)_

* * *

**Checkers**

In his exhaustion Haku didn't notice the girl crouched in the corner by the fireplace. Bare feet caressed a latticework of gold and red marble, as he crossed the room to his bed. At the silver spiraled carpet, he stopped and wriggled his toes against the indulgent threads. He smiled at the slight tickle against his skin. Sleep, tempted him to lie down right then and there. With a yawn he removed his top and his undershirt and threw them in a pile on the floor. He slid out of his pants and kicked them off. They ended up somewhere under the bed, but he didn't care. He groaned when he pulled back the bedcovers. His neck and shoulders were so tight. With a long, low, throaty moan he leaned into a stretch, reaching his long arms overhead. His muscles rippled under his skin. When he felt significantly at ease, he climbed into bed. With a flick of his wrist, a cascade of thick black curtains blocked out the sun, and the room was plunged into darkness.

* * *

Eyes big as saucers, butterflies making a tornado in her stomach, and heart drumming in her ears; Chihiro could no longer say she had never seen a naked man before. Granted, because of the light source, his entire front had been encased in shadow but it still counted. He was an exquisite specimen. When he had peeled of his pants, his long hair had fallen forward over his shoulder and she was given an unbroken view of his back. From this distance she could count his vertebrae, and she marveled at the ridges of his shoulder blades. His fair skin was unblemished and she was able to identify many of his muscles from her last anatomy class. She had paid particular attention to his latissimus dorsi, his trapezius, the rounded deltoids and his very firm gluteus maximus. Her eyes trailed lower to his perfectly sculpted calves and she had to press her fist in her mouth to keep from giggling hysterically. If she was a teapot, she would have been whistling; her blood was positively boiling and her face was so red, she was surprised he couldn't see her glowing like Rudolph's nose in the corner. She couldn't watch anymore! She squeezed her eyes shut, and her vision was encased in red, as the light filtered through the blood in her eyelids. Suddenly everything went cold and black and for a horrifying second, Chihiro thought she had been discovered. Her mouth dropped and her eyes flew open; she was half expecting to see the bath lord standing before her. Instead she saw nothing. From the area by the bed she heard a soft gentle snore and rhythmic deep breathing. She was officially screwed.

Chihiro tried to remember if there was anything in the huge room: tables, chairs, anything that could be tipped over and awaken the bath lord. She waited for her eyes to adjust; only nothing changed. The darkness was complete. Unbeknownst to Chihiro, dragons have keener eyes than humans and his spell completely blocked out the light; there was no way she would be able to see. Panic rose in Chihiro's chest and she began to feel a fine mist of sweat spread over her skin. Her long hair stuck to her bare back and she lowered herself to her hands and knees, wincing as her sweaty palm skidded over the smooth marble surface. It made the ghost of a squeak and she felt her heart hammer painfully in her chest. She couldn't hear anything over the thunder in her ears. When nothing happened she let out a shaky breath. She never noticed that the snoring had ceased.

Scuttling along the floor, silent as a spider, Chihiro groped about blindly; wishing, praying for a wall to orient herself. After a few sightless movements forward she had gotten disoriented, tried to go back to the chair, but it seemed to have moved. Gritting her teeth, she wiped her forehead distractedly, the salt burned her eyes. She was now sweating profusely the wetness adhered, what little clothing she had, to her body and her hair clung to her in the most sickening way. Briefly she wondered if the heat was being drawn in by the black curtains, or if it was all in her imagination. She was suddenly glad for the lack of clothes; a rustle of silk sheets stilled her movements instantly, then again maybe not. The loud staccato of her heartbeat slowed to a gentler thud and she listened intently. When no other sound occurred, she took a tentative movement forward. Never before this had she realized knees had sweat glands, yet as she made her way across the smooth marble they were skidding about in wild abandon. Her tenuous fingers felt the fringe of a rug and she briefly remembered there had been a rug just inside the doorway. She was almost out! Pushing eagerly forward, she banged the top of her head into something hard and couldn't stop the, "Owmph," from escaping her lips. She slapped her hand over her mouth and tugged at her hair anxiously. So stupid!

"Please don't hold back on my account." Haku watched in sleepy amusement as the girl turned to stone. After a beat, her head whipped about wildly as though expecting him to materialize on either side of her. Fully dilated pupils were twin spots of black amidst the white of her eyes. He watched her feel what was before her; grasping at the bed frame, stroking over the sheets, and her mouth dropped in horror at the realization. She disappeared from view and Haku shifted forward just in time to watch her dive beneath the bed. Curiosity took over and Haku leaned over one side and lifted up the bed skirt. Chihiro was gripping to the framework below like a baby bird clinging to its mother's nest. The silent heaving of her chest was a testament to the terror she must have felt. From the moment he had awoken, Haku wondered how he had missed her before; the scent of her filled the room. In her makeshift cocoon, Haku studied her. She was outfitted in the sleep garments of the workers; he wasn't particularly surprised she had decided not to wear the nightgowns he had provided, but it irked him all the same. He silently slid off the side of the bed and made his way to the foot of it. Sharp eyes spotted tiny toes, barely covered by the bed skirt. Fast as a striking snake, he hooked a hand around her ankle and pulled.

The shock broke Chihiro's grasp and though she slipped out easily; she yelped as the carpet rasped against her skin. The halter top had been yanked up to just below her breasts and Chihiro had the distinct feeling that the bath lord could somehow see in this blackness and now had a clear view of more skin than she ever wanted to show. She squeaked and wrapped her hands around herself, trying to retain what little modesty she had. Haku sniggered and snapped his fingers. Her hands abruptly snapped to her sides like a tin soldier. "Eye for an eye." He taunted. Chihiro flushed a deep red, how did he know she had seen? Was he still naked?!

"That's not fair," Chihiro sputtered angrily.

"No?"

"No! You saw me naked first," Chihiro accused.

At that she heard a snort. "Ahh, so you were watching," he mused.

"N-not purposely!" Chihiro bristled, she was getting angry. "Let me go, I wish to leave."

Looking down at her, that strange hunger started again, low in Haku's belly. His eyes glittered and his mouth watered. "Tell you what, let's play a game."

Chihiro looked confused at such a proposition, "a game?" She scoffed, "Why would I want to play a game, with you?"

"If you win, I will personally escort you home." Haku watched her expression change, calculating.

"And if you win?"

"Do you want to play or not?"

"What are we playing?"

"A simple game really; you have to make your way to the door. One step at a time: you may move left, right, diagonally and forward, but not back, and you mustn't let me catch you."

Chihiro gulped, "Ok." The scent of fear and excitement came off her skin in waves. He snapped his fingers, and as she regained motor functions, she quickly moved out from under him. Readjusting her top, and spreading her hair around her like a loose silk shawl, she peered up in the direction she thought Haku was in, "how do we start?"

"Hold out your hand," he commanded. Tentatively, she reached blindly forward. He grasped her fingers and pulled her to her feet. She was shaking; he licked his lips, and led her to the far corner of the room. Taking her by the shoulders, he placed her firmly in the corner of the room; exactly opposite the door. "Wait until I say otherwise." Chihiro felt the heat of him leave her side, and without moving her feet, leaned into her surroundings. Curtains brushed against her bare back and her body shivered involuntarily. A chill formed over her right side and when she reached out, she felt the icy glass of the mirror, and knew exactly where Haku had left her.

"Wait, aren't you going to lift the curtains? How will I keep you from catching me, if I can't see you?"

From across the room, Haku laughed. "I'll give you a hint. Start." Taking a tentative step forward, she heard a resounding step from the direction of the door, "Ice-cold."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: all rights and responsibilities belong to Hayao Miyazaki; I disown them all (very very sadly)**

**Author's Note:**

You all have been asking me to upload and I feel bad keeping my stuff that I have been working on for Checkers from you, but I am in all honesty, a very disorganized individual. All of my thoughts, writings and such were spread out on post-it notes, coffee warmers, napkins, envelopes, and all sorts of odd bits whenever inspiration struck. I finally compiled them and began to sort them out, attempting to make them one cohesive work, but I'm afraid it's very messy and as of this moment has three different conclusions and no middle bit. Once I pick one and actually stick with it then I can give you more. This chapter is relatively short, but is safe in its uncertainty, so I hope this wets your whistles until I can manage my time and thoughts a little better.

I bid you adieu! [Until next time that is. **;}** ]

Boots

* * *

**Left Foot Red**

Bristling with nerves and an unfamiliar thrill; hairs stood up on end and every nerve ending was awash with unbridled energy. He had left her as far as possible from the door but what if he just went left and right? He could be cheating and she'd never know. If she just went forward he could cut her off before her chance even begun, if she went in wild abandon she just might be able to lose him in the cross. Strategy whirled through Chihiro's mind for what felt like an eternity, and she could hear Haku breathing in the opposite corner, he seemed to be taunting her with his simple act and in her haste she took another step forward, afraid to lose the wall and all spatial orientation. "Hmm, perhaps you won't be as much of a challenge as I first thought," he mocked. Another loud thud announced his movement, "Cold."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Chihiro quipped. The lack of 'ice,' before his statement, made her antsy. Weren't other senses supposed to become heightened when one was taken away? So far, she just felt blind, and flustered.

"Do you consider yourself a chicken?" Haku deadpanned.

"What? No! It's just an expression." She heard a low throaty chuckle, and felt her skin grow hot. Placing a hand on the mirror she tried to think of her next move. The bed was in the middle of the room. If she could draw him to it then maybe, just maybe, she could make her way around, and behind him before he could notice. Taking a deep breath, she pushed off of the wall and took a diagonal step to her left. Keeping her arms perpendicular to the walls, she hoped that this would help her from getting turned around. She stood listening intently for his next step, only she didn't hear it. Straining eyes and ears, she felt her breaths shallow and her palms began to sweat. She fought the urge to wipe them on her shirt and lose her one advantage. "H-Haku?"

"Yes?" His voice sent tremors down her spine; it seemed to envelop her, coming from all sides, confusing her direction.

"Aren't you going to take your turn?" her voice was tight, high strung. She cursed her mutinous throat.

Lips quirking up in a devilish smile, he ignored her question, in favor of her reflection. A steamy handprint burned its image onto the mirror and he watched captivated as the print slowly shrank into oblivion; the minute whirls of fingerprints were all that remained, and his half-lidded gaze swiveled to the owner. Predatory eyes traced the beads of sweat that slid down the side of her neck, before trailing into the dip of her collarbone. She had her arms spread out, as though in an attempt to take flight. His gaze slid lower, the garment she wore was just baggy enough to conceal her breasts beneath, but somehow that made the hunger worse. Taking in the slight curve of hips, the length of legs, he noticed the way her body heat spread from her feet, causing a pool of steam to engulf the floor surrounding her. Glancing at his own two feet, he noticed that no such effect was occurring. Interesting. What would it feel like, to embrace such heat? He had mirrored her last movement, stepping forward, trailing a hand on the wall. Now though, the hunt would begin. Taking a silent step to his left, he decided to make less of a show of his intentions and with one husky word he gave away his position, "Chilly."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: all rights and responsibilities belong to Hayao Miyazaki; I disown them all (very very sadly.)**

**Author's Note:**

Hee hee hee. I know what you folks want, but I'm personally rooting for Chihiro. That says nothing as to how this will turn out though. Like I said I have a like 3 different endings. I'm actually toying with the idea of playing them all out, **"Clue"** style. (If you haven't watched **Clue** and you enjoy a witty, silly, 'suspenseful,' murder mystery, I suggest you take a peek at that! It's one of my fave films eva! The ending/endings are the best part, and the characters are amazeballs. I absolutely love Mrs. White, Mr. Green, and of course Wadsworth.) But we'll just have to see how much time I have on my hands.

Ciao for now!

Boots

_p.s. I love you guys! Best readers/reviewers ever!_

_p.p.s. I have no clue if the marble thing is true or not, some dude told me that at home depot when I was having my kitchen redone. It stuck with me, but I don't have any actual evidence to prove or disprove it, just sayin._

_p.p.p.s. I played a wee bit with POV here. Do you like it or do you prefer when I tell the story with alternating views, telling different pieces of the puzzle?_

* * *

**Slow and Steady**

The veins along the marble must never touch or else the marble will crack; at this moment, however, the veins all seemed to be connected. The central heart, pumping out all of the energy and bloodflow was Chihiro herself. Haku could feel every tremor of her heart, each expansion and deflation of lungs, every shift of muscle and bone; all through reverberation along the floor. His feet were a seismograph, and she was an earthquake. Each tremor was registered, and he wanted more. Watching patiently he enjoyed the flickers of inner turmoil wreaking havoc across her features. Chihiro muttered to herself, lips moving indiscernibly and arms tipping like a scale as she weighed her decisions both figuratively and literally.

* * *

A churning from deep inside began. Chihiro had never been in a situation like this before. Most women would have been thrilled to be locked in a room with this undeniably sexy bath lord, but she just wanted to get out. To go home. He never did say what would happen if she lost. She gulped, hoping he couldn't see the bobbing in her throat as she swallowed; she really didn't want to find out. His last word had left her mortified, rooted in place. If he was at that stage already, then she never stood a chance. 'Shit fuck!' she mouthed, releasing a stream of silent curses to make her feel better. Feeling bogged down with the knowledge that she had to move left her filled with tension; she weighed her options, left or right? Closer to the mirror-wall, or further way, closer to the door and possibly Haku? Unconsciously, her body rocked side to side as she debated with herself.

* * *

Haku enjoyed the sight; her rocking motion was almost soothing. He both saw and felt her movements and in that moment forgot himself. It wasn't until he heard the low moan from his own yawn that he realized his mistake. With mouth set in an ugly scrunched up, "O" it was too late to take it back.

* * *

'Hold up, I can win this,' she thought, 'I just have to keep my cool.' Chihiro took a deep, cleansing breath: in through the nose, out through the mouth. She lowered her lids until they were almost closed. It wasn't like she was missing much anyway. Using the muscles of her face she pulled her ears back and relaxed her shoulders, arms still outstretched. As her fear receded, her mind began to clear. The bath lord was tired. He had come to his room to sleep, and had passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Sure her appearance had startled him awake but he couldn't have lost the desire for sleep right? She could wait him out. Chihiro had been resting for days now and she wasn't sleepy in the slightest. She couldn't help the feeling of bouncy and the smile that raised her lips from her new found courage.

* * *

Haku watched annoyed as her features changed from shifting worry to unperturbed glee. Her forehead smoothed, her shoulders dropped from their protective hunch and a wicked grin threatened to split her face. He waited for the catty remark, the snarky comment. To his surprise she merely took a step forward before taking a small breathy yawn herself. The smile did not entirely leave her face as she dashed away moisture from her eyes before smoothing her face into a charming close-lipped smirk, "Your turn."


End file.
